“Switch. Conserve. Make some noise.” Building on this sturdy, strategic framework, the ex-astronaut and her longtime writing collaborator present budding eco-activists with a range of suggestions designed to spark a “go green” mindset at home and in school. With exceptions, such as perfunctory directions for starting a vegetable garden in containers or creating some domestic pressure to save water by timing everyone’s showers, the tips for saving energy and natural resources are reasonably doable—and the authors usually explain in general terms the potential benefits of each. Illustrated with simple line drawings of young people in action, and featuring simple surveys, checklists and a sample letter, this makes a worthy addition to the plethora of similar handbooks. Mission: Planet Earth (2009) shares both authors and publication date, but addresses an older audience and takes a more theoretical look at the potential hazards of unwise energy management. (Nonfiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: March 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59643-379-3
Page Count: 61
Publisher: Flash Point/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Miranda’s book counts the monsters gathering at a birthday party, while a simple rhyming text keeps the tally and surveys the action: “Seven starved monsters are licking the dishes./Eight blow out candles and make birthday wishes.” The counting proceeds to ten, then by tens to fifty, then gradually returns to one, which makes the monster’s mother, a purple pin-headed octopus, very happy. The book is surprisingly effective due to Powell’s artwork; the color has texture and density, as if it were poured onto the page, but the real attention-getter is the singularity of every monster attendee. They are highly individual and, therefore, eminently countable. As the numbers start crawling upward, it is both fun and a challenge to try to recognize monsters who have appeared in previous pages, or to attempt to stay focused when counting the swirling or bunched creatures. The story has glints of humor, and in combination with the illustrations is a grand addition to the counting shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201835-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
The Pumpkin Book (32 pp.; $16.95; Sept. 15; 0-8234-1465-5): From seed to vine and blossom to table, Gibbons traces the growth cycle of everyone’s favorite autumn symbol—the pumpkin. Meticulous drawings detail the transformation of tiny seeds to the colorful gourds that appear at roadside stands and stores in the fall. Directions for planting a pumpkin patch, carving a jack-o’-lantern, and drying the seeds give young gardeners the instructions they need to grow and enjoy their own golden globes. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1465-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
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